Mike Smith (linebacker)

Last updated

Mike Smith
Mike Smith LB.jpg
Smith with the Ravens in 2006
Personal information
Born: (1981-09-02) September 2, 1981 (age 42)
Lubbock, Texas, U.S.
Height:6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:235 lb (107 kg)
Career information
High school: Coronado (Lubbock, Texas)
College: Texas Tech (2000–2004)
Position:Linebacker
NFL draft: 2005  / Round: 7 / Pick: 234
Career history
As a player:
As a coach:
Career NFL statistics
Total tackles:6
Player stats at PFR

Michael Lee Smith (born September 2, 1981) is a former American football linebacker. He played for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL) and Texas Tech at the collegiate level. He was selected by the Ravens in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft.

Contents

Early life

Smith attended Coronado High School in his hometown of Lubbock, Texas. In his senior year, he recorded 182 tackles and five interceptions.

College career

Smith played college football at the linebacker position for Texas Tech. In 2001, he was named All-Big 12 Honorable Mention and All-Big 12 Freshman Team. During his time there, he started in 45 games and is one of only five other Red Raider players to play in 50 games. He graduated in 2004 with a degree in communication studies. [1]

Mike Smith tackling Dominique Zeigler from the Texas Tech Red Raiders vs Baylor Bears in 2004. MSmith2004.jpg
Mike Smith tackling Dominique Zeigler from the Texas Tech Red Raiders vs Baylor Bears in 2004.

Professional career

Smith was originally signed by the Baltimore Ravens in the seventh round (234th overall) in the 2005 NFL Draft. [2] In his rookie year he played in six games recording three tackles. He made his NFL debut on October 31 at the Pittsburgh Steelers. In 2006, he played in eight games again recording three tackles. [3] Smith made his first career start against the Tennessee Titans on November 12, 2006, in place of the injured Ray Lewis. [4] On the first play of the game, the Ravens blitzed. Smith was cut by Titans' center Kevin Mawae and fell onto his left shoulder. He suffered a torn labrum, rotator cuff, biceps tendon and dislocated the shoulder. Over the course of the following year and a half, Smith underwent surgery four times to correct his injuries. [4] He received an injury settlement from the Ravens on July 18, 2008, and was released. [5]

Coaching career

Hawaii

Smith served as the linebackers coach at the University of Hawaii for one year. [4]

New York Jets

He joined the Jets prior to the start of the season as an intern. [4] Linebacker Aaron Maybin has credited Smith for rejuvenating his career. [4]

Smith was hired by Washington State head coach Mike Leach on December 13, 2011, to serve as the team's linebackers coach. [6] However, Smith elected to stay with the Jets after being promoted to the outside linebackers coach position. [7] Smith received an offer from West Virginia University where he was said to have the opportunity to coach the linebackers in addition to having co-coordinator responsibilities, which he accepted. [8] After discovering that the job did not entail the responsibilities he had thought would be provided, he returned to the Jets. [9]

Texas Tech

In late December 2012, Smith was hired to be the co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the Texas Tech Red Raiders. He reunited with former teammate Kliff Kingsbury, who became the team's head coach earlier the same month. [10] Smith was promoted to the full defensive coordinator position following the resignation of Matt Wallerstedt and added defensive line coaching duties for 2015. It was announced that he would not return to Texas Tech following the 2015 season. [11]

Kansas City Chiefs

Smith was hired by the Kansas City Chiefs as their assistant defensive line coach on April 1, 2016. [12] On January 29, 2018, the Chiefs they had changed Smith's title to outside linebackers coach. [13]

Green Bay Packers

On January 25, 2019, he was hired by the Green Bay Packers to serve as the outside linebackers coach. [14] On February 18, 2022, Smith stepped away from the Green Bay Packers to pursue other opportunities.

Minnesota Vikings

Smith was hired by the Minnesota Vikings to serve as the outside linebackers/ pass rush specialist for the 2022 season.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Del Rio</span> American football player and coach (born 1963)

Jack Louis Del Rio Jr. is an American football coach and a former professional linebacker. He played college football as a linebacker at the University of Southern California before being drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the third round of the 1985 NFL Draft. He also played for four other NFL teams before retiring in 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zach Thomas</span> American football player (born 1973)

Zachary Michael Thomas is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons. He played college football for the Texas Tech Red Raiders, and was recognized as a unanimous All-American. He was selected in the fifth round, 22nd pick, in the 1996 NFL draft by the Miami Dolphins, and played for the Dolphins in his first 12 seasons in the NFL, before playing his 13th and final season with the Dallas Cowboys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Vrabel</span> American football player and coach (born 1975)

Michael George Vrabel is an American football coach and former linebacker. He currently serves as a Coaching and Personnel Consultant for the Cleveland Browns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Romeo Crennel</span> American football player and coach (born 1947)

Romeo Crennel is a former American football coach, who was the senior advisor for football performance for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). A former long-time coaching assistant to Bill Parcells, Crennel served as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns from 2005 to 2008 and the Kansas City Chiefs in 2012, as well an assistant coach for six NFL teams and four collegiate teams. He has over 50 years of coaching experience, which has included consistently being employed as a coach for all but two seasons since 1970, only taking the 2009 and 2013 seasons off following both of his tenures as a permanent head coach. He has five Super Bowl wins as assistant coach, two with the New York Giants and three with the New England Patriots.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Derrick Johnson</span> American football player (born 1982)

Derrick O'Hara Johnson is a former American football linebacker. He played college football at the University of Texas at Austin, where he earned consensus All-American honors twice. He was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs with the 15th overall selection in first round the 2005 NFL draft. In his 13 seasons with the Chiefs, he made four Pro Bowls. He also played 6 games for the Oakland Raiders.

Cornell Desmond Brown is an American football coach and former American college and professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons. He played college football for Virginia Tech, and earned All-American honors twice. Drafted late in the sixth round of the 1997 NFL Draft, he played professionally for the NFL's Baltimore Ravens. In 2013, Brown was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rex Ryan</span> American football coach and analyst (born 1962)

Rex Ashley Ryan is an American former football coach and analyst. Ryan was formerly the head coach of the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL), and also held various coaching positions with seven other NFL and college teams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bart Scott</span> American football player (born 1980)

Bartholomew Edward Scott is an American sports analyst and former football player. Scott was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for eleven seasons. After playing college football for the Southern Illinois Salukis, he was signed by the NFL's Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2002. Scott was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2006. After playing his first seven years with the Ravens, Scott signed with the New York Jets in 2009. He would play his final four seasons for the Jets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ted Thompson</span> American football player and executive (1953–2021)

Ted Thompson was an American professional football player and executive in the National Football League (NFL). He was the general manager of the Green Bay Packers from 2005 to 2017. Thompson had a 10-year playing career in the NFL as a linebacker and special teams player with the Houston Oilers from 1975 to 1984.

Marcus Coleman is an American former professional football player who was a defensive back in the National Football League (NFL) for the New York Jets, Houston Texans and the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football for the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ted Monachino</span> American football coach (born 1966)

Ted Monachino is an American football coach who is currently the defensive line coach at North Carolina. He was hired by the Tar Heels in 2023 as Senior Defensive Analyst before being elevated to the defensive line position following the departures of Tim Cross and Gene Chizik. A longtime assistant in the National Football League (NFL), Monachino coached for several teams, including most recently as outside linebackers coach for the Atlanta Falcons. Monachino also coached for Missouri in 2018 and served as the defensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts from 2016 to 2017. He was also formerly the linebackers coach for the Baltimore Ravens from 2010 to 2015. He was part of the Ravens' coaching staff that won Super Bowl XLVII.

Isaiah "Mike" Caldwell, Jr. is an American football coach who is the linebackers coach & run game coordinator for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the defensive coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2022 to 2023. After the entire Jacksonville defensive staff was fired in early 2024, he joined the Las Vegas Raiders as their linebackers coach and run game coordinator.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">3–4 defense</span> American football defensive formation

In American football, the 3–4 defense is a common defensive alignment consisting of three down linemen and four linebackers. It is called a "base defense" because it will readily switch to other defensive alignments as circumstances change. Alternatively, some defenses use a 4–3 defense: four down linemen and three linebackers.

Eddie Lewis Jones, Jr. is a former American football linebacker. He played college football at Texas, and was signed by the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2011. Jones has also been a member of the St. Louis Rams.

James Edward Willis III is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) and a former coach in the NCAA and in the NFL. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played college football at Auburn. He played high school football at J.O. Johnson High School in Huntsville, Alabama. He was the defensive assistant/linebackers coach for the New Orleans Saints of the NFL until his termination on January 5, 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Bush</span> American football player and coach (born 1963)

Frank Bush is a former American football linebacker and coach who is the linebackers coach for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Houston Oilers in the fifth round of the 1985 NFL Draft. He played college football at North Carolina State.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nick Perry (linebacker)</span> American football player (born 1990)

Nicholas Joel Perry is an American former football linebacker who played seven seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the Green Bay Packers. He played college football at USC. Perry was drafted by the Packers in the first round of the 2012 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 New York Jets season</span> 2011 season of NFL team New York Jets

The 2011 New York Jets season was the franchise's 42nd season in the National Football League (NFL), the 52nd season overall and the team's third season under head coach Rex Ryan. Finishing 8–8, the Jets failed to improve upon their 11–5 record from 2010 and failed to reach the playoffs and the AFC Championship game for the first time since 2008, which had a three-game losing streak to close the season. The Jets' 2011 season, from its NFL lockout-impacted start to the team's losing streak that marked its end was chronicled extensively in Nicholas Dawidoff's 2013 book Collision Low Crossers: A Year Inside the Turbulent World of NFL Football. Beginning in the offseason, Dawidoff embedded himself with the team, primarily with defensive coordinator Mike Pettine and assistants Dennis Thurman and Mike Smith. This season would begin a lengthy postseason drought for the Jets. Since 2011, the team has failed to qualify for the playoffs, with just one winning season from 2011 to 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whitney Mercilus</span> American football player (born 1990)

Whitney Mercilus is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for 10 seasons, primarily with the Houston Texans. He played college football at Illinois, where he received unanimous All-American honors, and was selected by the Texans in the first round of the 2012 NFL draft. Mercilus spent the entirety of his first nine seasons with Houston, earning a second-team All-Pro selection in 2016. After being released by the Texans early into the 2021 season, he last played for the Green Bay Packers.

John Pagano is an American football coach who is a senior defensive assistant for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). A longtime assistant coach with the San Diego Chargers, Pagano also coached for the Houston Texans, Oakland Raiders, Indianapolis Colts, New Orleans Saints, and Denver Broncos. He is the younger brother of former coach Chuck Pagano.

References

  1. ↑ "Mike Smith Profile". Texas Tech University. Archived from the original on July 22, 2012. Retrieved December 26, 2012.
  2. ↑ "2005 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  3. ↑ "NFL News, Scores, Fantasy Games and Highlights 2021 | Yahoo Sports".
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Mehta, Manish (December 10, 2011). "NY Jets intern Mike Smith has helped Aaron Maybin become sack monster once again for Rex Ryan's defense". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on November 15, 2013. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
  5. ↑ "Mike Smith". Rotoworld. Archived from the original on June 8, 2011. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
  6. ↑ "Leach going to NFL ranks for LB coach?". Cougfan.com. December 13, 2011. Archived from the original on January 14, 2012. Retrieved December 14, 2011.
  7. ↑ Vrentas, Jenny (January 10, 2012). "Jets begin to make changes to coaching staff". The Star Ledger. Archived from the original on January 13, 2012. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
  8. ↑ Mehta, Manish (January 17, 2012). "Sources: Todd Haley unlikely to join the Jets' staff; OLBs coach Mike Smith accepts position at West Virginia". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on January 21, 2012. Retrieved February 2, 2012.
  9. ↑ Mehta, Manish (February 2, 2012). "Sources: Mike Smith returns to Jets as outside linebackers coach". New York Daily News . Archived from the original on February 5, 2012. Retrieved February 2, 2012.
  10. ↑ Mehta, Manish (December 22, 2012). "NY Jets outside linebackers coach Mike Smith to leave for Texas Tech after season: sources". New York Daily News . Retrieved December 24, 2012.
  11. ↑ Williams, Don (November 30, 2015). "Mike Smith says Texas Tech coaches were told of dismissal before season started". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal . Retrieved March 7, 2020.
  12. ↑ "Chiefs Announce Coaching Staff Changes For 2016". www.chiefs.com. Archived from the original on April 4, 2016.
  13. ↑ "Chiefs Announce Coaching Staff Changes". Chiefs.com.
  14. ↑ "Packers name Mike Smith outside linebackers coach". Packers.com.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.